Device for selectively feeding and printing ticket strips



2,924,170 DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY FEEDING AND PRINTING TICKET STRIPS Filed May 16, 1955 Feb. 9, 1960 STYNER ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 5 M u w a Q o oo 0 ll! 0 G (1 5 O F 4 6 w \I l Llmwvlfl 1 B 3 3 M \Q Q 8 m 2 m 0 u 5 5 g 0 H 5 m 2 5 5 6 v n 1 1 1 m n? L 1/ 5 w o a. n 3 h? [.6 m

a W. m

and Adolf Chlouba Feb. 9, 1960 v F. STYNER ET AL 2,924,170

DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY FEEDING AND PRINTING TICKET STRIPS Filed May 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Fritz Sign and Rdolf Ehlouba M ATTORNEY United States Patent DEVICE FOR SELECTIVELY FEEDING AND PRINTING TICKET STRIPS 'Fritz Styner, Riedern, Bern, and Adolf Chlouba, Bern,

Switzerland; Gustav Adolf Erni, executor or administrator of said Adolf Chlouba, deceased This invention relates to a system for feeding the ticket printing strip for a cash register incorporating a ticket delivery apparatus.

Extensive and voluminous mechanisms are generally required in the usual cash registers of this type particularly when they are equipped with adding mechanisms for feeding the ticket printing strip, because the strip is not merely fed from line to line but a final feed is effected after having made the total. In known cash registers the feeding of the ticket printing strip is obtained by means of feeding rollers executing the same feeding displacement for any feeding length of the printing strip to be executed, but the period during which such feeding rollers are pressed against the printing strip for displacing the same differs with the feeding length required. It has proved to be very diflicult with this feeding mechanism to obtain regular feeding intervals particularly from line to line because the feeding rollers are never applied against the printing strip with exactly the same pressure and for exactly the same length of time, and because the adhesion occurring varies from time to time.

These and other disadvantages of the known feeding devices may be avoided when the printing strip is fed in accordance with the teaching of this invention, which is broadly characterized in that the'feeding movement of the printing strip is controlled by the movement of a printing hammer.

The stroke of a printing hammer may easily be adjusted to be exactly as desired for every printing effected and accordingly the feeding movement for the printing strip may be kept regular by very simple means.

The attached drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the device according to this invention for feeding the printing strip of a cash register.

Fig. 1 is a schematical side view of the device in its zero position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device corresponding to Fig. l but illustrating the position of the parts as a number is printed.

Fig. 3 is a similar side view of the device illustrating the position of the parts as an advertisement is printed on the printing strip.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the feeding means of the device at an enlarged scale for two different operating positions.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the feeding means of the device.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a part of the device seen in the direction of arrow VII in Fig. 1 and Fig. 8 shows a portion of a printing strip printed in the cash register.

Referring to the drawings, one of a plurality of figure or numerical printing of the type cylinders arranged on a common shaft is designated by the numeral 1. These type cylinders are adjusted in a well known manner prior to every printing operation in such a manner that the printing strip 2 passes over the type of every type cylinder which is to be printed subsequently. Printing hammers 3 and 4 mounted on a shaft 7 are equipped with rubber cushions 5 and 6 respectively.v The printing ice hammer 4 is fixed on the shaft 7 whereas the printing hammer 3 is mounted for free rotation on the same. A resetting lever 8 is pivoted on a shaft 9. A connecting rod 10 interconnects a cam disc 13 with the resetting lever 8 on which parts it is pivoted by means of rivets 11 and 12. The resetting lever 8 has a pin 14 supporting both printing hammers 3 and 4 in the position shown in Fig. 1 when the device is at rest. The cam disc 13 is attached to a main shaft 15 of the machine and has a control roller 16.

A lever 17 is fixed on the shaft 7 and therefore is forced to follow the rotational movement of the printing hammer 4. A rod 18 interconnects an advancing sector 19 pivoted on a shaft 20 with the lever 17. Teeth 21 of the advancing sector 19 engages a toothed wheel 22 which is fixed to a shaft 24 and to a lever 23. A toothed wheel 25 and a ratchet wheel 26 are fixed on a common sleeve 27 which is mounted for free rotation on shaft 24. A ratchet pawl 28 is pivoted at the free end of the lever 23 by means of a rivet and is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel 26 by means of a spring 29. The wheel 25 connected to the ratchet wheel 26 drives a feeding roller 31 over a toothed wheel 30 and a shaft 32. A pressure roller 33 is pressed against the feeding roller 31 by spring means well known in the art and not shown in the drawing. The printing strip 2 is inserted between rollers 31 and 33.

The printing hammers 3 and 4 are releasably restrained by two supporting latches 34 so that in the zero position shown' in Fig. l the printing hammers cannot possibly execute their printing displacement. The printing hammer 4 is further controlled by a second restraining latch 35 the control face of which is spaced from the corresponding control face of the printing hammer 4 when the device is in the zero position shown in Fig. 1, so that the printing hammer 4 has to execute a given part of its printing displacement before abutting against the supporting latch 35. The supporting latches 34 are pivoted on a shaft 36 and fixed to each other. Pin 37 is an abutment for the supporting latches 34 and 35. The supporting latches 34 are interconnected with a releasing lever 39 by means of a rod 38, the releasing lever 39 being pivoted on a shaft 40. The supporting latch 35 is interconnected with a releasing lever 43 by means of a rod 42, the releasing lever 43 being pivoted on a shaft 44 and being controlled by a releasing slide 45. This releasing slide 45 is guided on a pin 46 at its left extremity and attached to a control shaft 47 at its right extremity. A pin 48 is provided in the releasing slide 45, cooperating with the upper end of the releasing lever 43. Each of the rods 38 and 42 are equipped with resetting springs 41 tending to reset such rods and therewith the supporting latches 34 and 35 into the zero position illustrated in Fig. 1.

Recoil levers 49 are provided for both printing hammers 3 and 4. These recoil levers 49 are pivoted on a common shaft 50 and are normally pressed against an abutting stop pin 52 by springs 51. Pins 53 are provided on the recoil levers 49 onto which the printing hammers 3 and 4 abut when brought into printing position and are subsequently thrown back. On operation the printing hammer 4 presses the printing strip against a plate 54 for printing an advertisement.

The device illustrated operates as follows:

After adjustment of the type cylinders 1 to the desired position the main shaft 15 of the machine is rotated in the direction of the arrows (Figs. 1 to 3). Thereby the resetting lever 8 is rotated in anti-clockwise direction from the zero position shown in Fig. 1 and the control pin 14 releases both printing hammers 3 and 4. Rotation of the printing hammers from their zero position shown in Fig. 1 is, however, not possible because they are still controlled by the supporting latches 34. When the main shaft 15 of the machine has turned by 180 the control roller 16 of the cam disc 13 engages the upper end of the releasing lever 39 and turns the'same in clockwise direction, whereby the supporting latches 34 are turned in the same direction over the rod 38. Thereby both printing 7 hammers 3 and 4 are released and are turned towards the type cylindes 1 and towards the advertisement printing plate 54 respectively due to the action of their operating back.

Since the supporting latch 35 has not been displaced from the position shown in Fig. 1 the printing hammer 4 only turns by a small angle until it abuts against the supporting latch 35. This movement of the printing hammer 4 is transmitted tothe advancing sector 19 over lever 17 and rod 18 whereby the advancing sector 19 is rotated in the clockwise direction. The toothed wheel 22 and the lever 23 connected to thersame withv the ratchet lever 28 are rotated in the anticlockwise direction, whereby the ratchet lever 28 slides over several teeth of the ratchet wheel 26 without driving the same.

During the second half of the full rotation executed by the main shaft 15 of the machine the resetting lever 8 is returned in the clockwise direction into the zero position shown in Fig. 1 on which resetting movement it engages bothprintin'g hammers 3 and 4 for resetting them into their zero position shown in Fig. 1. During this movement the supporting latches 34 reengage the control faces of the printing hammers 3 and 4 thereby latching the same in. their zero position.

By the resetting movement of the printing hammers 3 and 4 the levers 17 and 18 and the advancing sector 19 have been returned into the zero position shown in Fig. 1. Thereby the toothed Wheel 22 and the ratchet lever 23 are reset in clockwise direction by a corresponding amount, whereby the ratchet pawl 28 engages the ratchet wheel 26 so that the feeding roller 31 is driven over toothed wheels 25 and 30 in the anticlockwise direction thereby advancing the printing strip 2 by the space between adjacent lines in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 illustrates the operation of the feeding device when a total is to be printed onto the printing strip 2, that is when the last number and the advertisement are to be printed onto the cash register ticket. In this case the operation described in connection with Fig. 2 takes place with the difference that the releasing slide 45 has been displaced into the position shown in Pig. 3 by suitable means not shown and controlled by the adding apparatus of the cash register, in which position of the slide 45 the supporting latch 35 is turned in the clockwise direction out of the zero position of Fig. 1 over rod 42 and lever 43 so that it will no longer engage the printing hammer 4 when the same is released by the corresponding supporting latch 34. Therefore, when the supporting latches 34 are disengaged from the printing hammers 3 and 4 when the main shaft 15 of the machine has executed the first half of its full rotation as described above, both printing hammers 3 and 4 will turn into the operating position shownin Fig. 3, whereby the printing hammer 4 effects printing of the adveristment.

In accordance with the appreciably greater turning anglethe printing hammer 4 may executeas compared with its turning angle executed to the abutment with the supporting latch 35 as described with reference to Fig. 2-- the advancing sector 19 will be turned over lever 17 and rod 13v by an appreciably greater angle. Thereby the ratchet pawl 28 slides over an appreciably greater num- 4 ber of teeth of the ratchet wheel 26. When, during the second half of the rotating movement of the main shaft 15 of the machine the printing hammers 3 and 4 are reset into their Zero position the feeding roller 31 is rotated by a greater angle according to the greater resetting movement of theprinting hammer 4 whereby the printing strip 2 is advanced by such an amount that the finished cash ticket may be removed.

Fig. 8 illustrates the printed strip S subdivided into tickets by perforation lines P produced in a well known manner. In Fig. 8 the individual tickets are not separated from the strip, as is normally the case, for a better understanding. On the first ticket the items 1.25, 3.60 and .50 and the total thereof fiz. 5.35 have been printed by way of example, the space between printing lines being relatively small and corresponding to the displacement of the advertisement printing hammer 4 from its intermediate position determined by the stop latch 35 to its zero position. When the above total of 5.35 is printed the advertisement printing hammer 4 is also advanced into its printing position thereby printing for instance the words Your receipt, thank you as indicated in Fig. 8 or any other advertisement on the next ticket. When the printing hammer 4 returns to its Zero position the strip S is fed by a length corresponding to the distance between the above total 5.35 and the first item printed on the next lower ticket whereby the first ticket carrying the above items and total may be separated from the strip S along the perforation line P. On a subsequent operation of the cash register the next ticket is printed in exactly the same way and will be dispensed when the total has been printed.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a, specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

What we claim is: 1

1. A system for feeding the ticket printing strip in a cash register having a ticket delivery apparatus and adapted to effect an item printing cycle and a total printing cycle, feeding means for the ticket strip, cipher printing type carriers and a cipher printing hammer, an

advertisement printing type plate and an advertisement printing hammer, means for advancing the said printing hammers towards a printing position and means for subsequently returning the printing hammers to a zero position during each operating cycle of the cash register, first stop means for latching the said printing hammers in their zero position and second stop means for locking the said advertisement printing hammer in an intermediate position between its Zero position and its printing position, coupling means between the said advertisement printing hammer and the said feeding means for advancing the said feeding means and the said ticket strip by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the said advertisement printing hammer in one direction, means for rendering the said first stop means inoperative at every item printing cycle of the cash register thereby releasing the said printing hammers, whereby the said cipher printing hammer is advanced to its printing position whereas the said advertisement printing hammer is advanced to its intermediate position, the feeding means and the ticket strip being thereby advanced through the said coupling means by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the advertisement printing hammer to its intermediate position, and means for rendering the said first and second stop means inoperative at every total printing cycle of the cash register thereby releasing both printing hammers into their printing position, whereby an increased displacement is transmitted from the said advertisement printing hammer over the said coupling means to the said feeding means for feeding the ticket strip by an amount allowing subsequent removal of the printed ticket from the cash register.

2. A system for feeding the ticket printing strip in a cash register having a ticket delivery apparatus and adapted to effect a total printing cycle, feeding means for the ticket strip, cipher printing carriers, a number printing hammer, an advertisement printing type plate, an advertisement printing hammer, means for advancing the said printing hammers towards a printing position, means for subsequently returning the printing hammers to a zero position during each operating cycle of the cash register, first stop means for latching the said printing hammers in their zero position, second stop means for locking the said advertisement printing hammer in an intermediate position between its zero position and its printing position, coupling means between the said advertisement printing hammer and the said feeding means for advancing the said feeding means and the said ticket strip by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the said printing hammer in one direction, means for rendering the said first stop means inoperative at every item printing cycle of the cash register thereby releasing the said printing hammers, whereby the said cipher printing hammer is advanced to its printing position and the said advertisement printing hammer is advanced to its intermediate position, the feeding means through the coupling means advancing the ticket strip by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the advertising printing hammer to its intermediate position, and means for rendering the first and second stop means inoperative at every total printing cycle of the cash register thereby' releasing both printing hammers into their printing position, whereby an increased displacement is transmitted from the said advertisement printing hammer through the coupling means to the feeding means for feeding the ticket strip by an amount allowing subsequent removal of the printed ticket from the cash register.

3. A system for feeding the ticket printing strip in a cash register having a ticket delivery apparatus and adapted to effect a total printing cycle, feeding means for the ticket strip, printing means including a printing ham mer, means for advancing the said printing hammer towards a printing position, means for subsequently returning the printing hammer to a zero position during each operating cycle of the cash register, first stop means for latching the said printing hammer in its zero position, second stop means for locking the printing hammer in an intermediate position between its zero position and its printing position, coupling means between the said printing hammer and the said feeding means for advancing the said feeding means and the said ticket strip by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the said printing hammer in one direction, means for rendering the said first stop means inoperative at every item printing cycle of the cash register thereby releasing the said printing hammer, whereby it is advanced to its intermediate position, the feeding means through the coupling means advancing the ticket strip by an amount corresponding to the displacement of the printing hammer to its intermediate position, and means for rendering the first and second stop means inoperative at every total printing cycle of the cash register thereby releasing the printing hammer into its printing position, whereby an increased displacement is transmitted from the said printing hammer through the coupling means to the feeding means for feeding the ticket strip by an amount allowing subsequent removal of the printed ticket from the cash register.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,876,056 Johantgen Sept. 6, 1932 2,035,095 Racz Mar. 24, 1936 2,059,251 Lasker Nov. 3, 1936 2,064,203 Garbell Dec. 15, 1936 2,187,200 Green Jan. 16, 1940 2,341,630 Lambert Feb. 15, 1944 2,732,797 Cooper Ian. 31, 1956 

